


Time Lord Nature

by Alexannah



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (1963), Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Angst, Conspiracy, Gen, Prophecy, Time War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-13
Updated: 2013-04-13
Packaged: 2017-12-08 09:15:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/759686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alexannah/pseuds/Alexannah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rassilon seeks to avert the foretold destruction of Gallifrey by recruiting humans--the great survivors. Little does he know, his actions are actually sealing its fate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Time Lord Nature

**Author's Note:**

> I’m not planning on expanding on this, at least not till I’ve done, or at least mostly done, my fics all in progress behind the scenes. But the idea came to me and wouldn’t shake off so I decided to indulge it, slightly.  
> UPDATE: The fic in question will be called "Balancing Act". I will update this note again when I have a better idea of when it will be posted.

Gallifreyans hadn’t always been Time Lords.

That was one fact taught at the Academy that people didn’t really tend to think much about. It was after all technological discoveries that had led to Time warping their species’ genetic makeup to the point where they became virtually invincible. Any other race could have beaten them to it, had there been fiercer competition at the time.

Once upon a time, Gallifreyans had just been that—Gallifreyans. A simple species with one heart and a fairly short lifespan. Not much different from humans, to tell the truth, apart from their intelligence. But since becoming Time Lords, the old days were almost forgotten, or certainly no longer contemplated; and the term ‘Galifreyan’ was barely used.

But Rassilon was contemplating it.

Humans were a monster species, he’d seen that in his observations of the universe. They were also survivors. Their drive and courage was lacking somewhat in his own species, and he knew that it had never really been there—they were not Gallifreyan traits.

“Read it to me again,” he commanded Sindg.

As Sindg began to read the prophecy foretelling a great war come to the Time Lords, one that would end in destruction, Rassilon was further convinced that he had only one choice.

“Bring me humans.”

-

“Anyone for ice cream?”

“I think they’re a bit young for it.”

“I meant you,” he said, grinning. “I’m going to get a cone; want one too?”

“All right then.”

As her husband headed towards the nearest beach shop, she looked back down at the pram and smiled. Both the twins were asleep, heads lolling together, her red hair stark against his dark hair. Their mother gently adjusted the blanket.

A shout from the other side of the walkway caught her attention. “Syl, got any change?”

“Yeah—hang on—”

She pulled her purse out of her bag to look, and let out an annoyed sigh as it fell open, items rolling around her feet.

Her eyes were off the pram for less than three seconds as she picked them up. She straightened up, her eyes fell on the half-empty pram, and she screamed.

-

“How many survived?”

“Only one, My Lord Rassilon,” was the tentative answer. “A boy.”

“Bring him to me, I want to check it worked.”

“Sir. Before you do …”

“What?”

“The Gazer has another prophecy about The End.”

Rassilon stood up, hearts starting to hammer. “What does it say?”

“That The End won’t come at the hand of our enemy, but by him. The boy.”

Rassilon frowned. “Are you sure?”

“It’s been triple-checked, sir. It says a human Time Lord. We’ve just created our own destruction.”

“Then destroy him!” Rassilon snapped. “Kill the boy and burn everything. This experiment must not be repeated.”

Sindg ran, and Rassilon sat back down, suppressing a groan. All that work … and all for nothing!

But—if they destroyed the boy—didn’t that mean that the threat was over? He was just starting to cheer up when there were shouts from outside, and Sindg re-entered, looking fearful.

“My Lord Rassilon, the boy …”

“Is he dead?”

“He’s gone.”

“ _Gone?_ What do you mean, gone?”

-

She’d done the right thing.

Pennine knew this. Her gift as a seer had enabled her to see the truth of her species—what they would become, and what was needed to stop them. Snatching a little boy from right underneath Rassilon’s nose, to be precise.

The Doctor didn’t know. He didn’t know any of it. Often she’d wondered if she should tell him the truth, but she couldn’t. He didn’t even know she wasn’t his mother.

There he stood, in the midst of battle, making eye contact with her. She knew what the look meant. It was time.

Pennine nodded, sending the message—Do what you have to do. He took one last look before turning away.

It was too late to tell him, now. He would never know where he had come from, how his path had been mapped for him by Rassilon’s actions. Never know that Gallifrey had never truly been his home.

Maybe, just maybe, he didn’t have to know. Maybe once this was over, he could find some peace, back among his own people.

Maybe.

**The End**


End file.
